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G. W. PARKER.

I STREET OAR.

N0. 355,787. PatentedJ an. 11, 1887 N, PUERS. Phnln-Lilhognwher. Walhlrlxinn. DJ);

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- 'UNrrEn STATES PATENT Grates.

GEORGE WV. PARKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STREET-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 355,787, dated January 11, 1887.

(No model) To aZZ whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, GEORGE WV. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in StreetOars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of streetcars in which the seats are at the side or sides of thelon gitudinal aisle or passageway through the car, and in which the seats face said passage-way.

Theobject of the invention is to keep the passengers feet out of said passage-way and off from the floor of the car while the passen- In the present cars of this classnow inuse great inconvenience is experienced on account of the feet of the seated passengers being in this passageway. Persons going in and coming'out of the car tread upon the feet or are tripped by them. Frequently the cars are overcrowded and some ride standing in the passage, and the sudden stopping and starting and jolting of the car throw such persons backward or forward. Under such circumstances, in spite of all precautions, some ones feet are crushed beneath the heels of others, and frequently the jostled passenger is thrown prostrate by being tripped up. I 0bviate this difficulty and attain other useful results by the construction below described and claimed.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation, with the lower part in section on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line 1 l in Fig. 1.

Referring to the letters of reference marked on the drawings, B B are the seats, facing the passage-way, which is centrally and horizontally between the oppositely-facing seats in this class of cars. The seats B are higher than the seats in prior cars.

At D D foot-rests are shown, elevated from the floor a of the car, and at a proper distance below the seat for grown persons to sit in the seat and rest their feet upon the footrest D. I

At a are brackets supporting the foot-rest.

It will be observed that the front support, I, of the seat B slants inward at the bottom, leaving such a space between this support and a vertical line touching the edge of the seat next to the passage-way that but a small portion of the foot-rest extends beyond said vertical line into the passage Way. This forces the passengers to draw their feet back in a natural or at least comfortable position, thus securing a broad passage-way, unobstructed by the feetof-the passengers.

The passengers upon entering the ear step on the foot-rest D and seat themselves, with their feet on said rest. It is thus impossible for their feet to be trod upon, being thus above the floor and drawn back. The passengers so seated at once experience a sense of security and relief from fear of being injured, and of inconveniencing those standing in the aisle or passing in or out.

It will further be observed that I secure a greater width of unobstructed floor-surface. The utility of this maybe illustrated as follows: People are standing in the aisle and others are endeavoring to pass them-in coming in or in going out of the car. The former turn their backs to the aisle, with their feet on the floor beneath the foot-rest D, with no fear or danger of treading on the feet of the seated passengers, and the latter pass them without crowding and without any ones feet being in the way.

This invention is applicable to either surface or elevated roads employing cars having this arrangement of seats and passage-way.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. A street-car of the class described, provided with raised seats having elevated footrests, whereby the seated passengers are compelled to keep their feet from off the floor and out of the longitudinal passage-way which the seats and foot-rests face, substantially as set forth.

2. A street-car of the class described, pro vided with the raised seat having the ele' vatedfoot-rest, the greater portion of the latter being beneath the seat, substantially as and for the objects set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE w. PARKER.

Witnesses:

J OIIN C. PERKINS, JOHN H. CHAsE. 

